Dipper-dredge.



W.`F. HUNTER. DIFFER DREDGE.

APPLICATION FILED MAYSI, i912.

1,3l77,108. Patend Ma;.28,1916.

4 4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

l Elim-i It' al will W. F. HUNTER.

DIPPER DREDGE.'

APPLlcATloN man MAY 31.1912.

Patented Mar. 28,1916.

`4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

M A Harney WITNESSES v THB CQLUMBXA PLANOGRAPH C0.. WASHIN'DTON, D.

W. F. HUNTER.

DIFFER DREDGE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31, I9I2.

Patented Mar. 28,1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

WITNESSES WILLIAM F. HUNTER, OF ARCATA, CALIFORNIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. as, 191e.

Application mea May s1, 1.912. serial ivo. 700,787.

ToaZZ whom t may concern Be it known that I, VILLIAM F. HUNTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Arcata, in the county of Humboldt and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Dipper-Dredges, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in clipper dredges, and more particularly to a dredge which is adapted to remove gold `bearing gravel, or silnilar valuable deposits from river beds.

The object of this invention is to provide a dredge of this character whereby the gravel, or other valuable deposits, may be gathered from the bed of a river below the deck of the dredge and lifted to a hopper above the deck of the dredge without losing a particle that may have found its way into the dipper.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for operating the clipper' or scoop whereby the same may be operated by one man at a predetermined point, and means whereby `the operator may move,

" hold or force this scoop in any position below the point of dumping and the depth which he wishes to remove the material.

This dipper dredge when used for re-` pear, claimed and particularly pointed out in the appended drawings, in which :w

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a dredge having my improved mechanism applied thereto; a. portion of the cabin and roof of the dredge being broken away to more clearly illustrate thedifferent parts thereof. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.-Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of my improved scoop show-` ing a part of the dipper in elevation. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the clipper arm illustrating more clearly the olf-set portion formed therein. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the scoop illustratingmoreclearly the operation of the dumping hook. Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal section taken through a portion of the adjustable operating handle. Fig. S is a plan view of the operating hook. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the swinging pulley which is adapted to support the c able holding the scoop. Fig. 10 is a front elevation of the swinging pulley as shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a detail side elevation of the grooved pulleysV for receiving the adjustable operating handle and also illustrating the slidable pulley in one position in dotted lines. Fig. 12 is a section taken on line 12-12 in Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows shown. Fig 13 is an enlarged detail view to better illustrate the means for supporting and holding the clipper in the dumping position.

In describing my invention in detail, wherein similar parts are illustrated by similar characters throughout the several views, I will first describe the portions of my invention which are shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings.

The letter A indicates an ordinary floating dredge having mounted thereon my improved operating mechanism which is to be completely covered by a roof in the usual and well known manner, the greater portion of the roof being broken away to more clearly illustrate my invention, but for the sake of illustration a portion B is shown upon the stern of the dredge.

Mounted in the bow end of the dredge are supporting members preferably in the shape of a well known wood horse and increasing in size, these supports being illustrated by the numerals 10, 11 and 12, respectively.' A pair of diagonally extending supports 13 are mounted within the first mentioned supports one end of each of which extends beyond the support 1Q and is connected thereto, while the opposite or lower end is fixed in any suitable or well known manner to the bottom of the dredge. Formed in the forward end of the bow portion of the dredge and approximately the center thereof is an elongated opening 11 in which operates the scoop or clipper' 15. This scoop 15 has extending therefrom an adjustable arm 1G which is slidingly and turnably supported in the groove of a roller 17 mounted between the diagonal members 13 and supported by brace members 18 which are yconnected to the diagonal members, as more clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

On the dredge is a hoist 19 having mounted a plurality of drums over which pass operating cables which will be hereinafter described. A cable 2O extends from one of these drums and over a swinging pulley 21 mounted in one extremity of the diagonally extending members 13 and is connected to the scoop 15. Another cable 22 is mounted on one of these drums and extends over a pulley device mounted on support 13 and around the grooved pulley 17 and is fixed to one extremity as at 211 of the arm 16. A third cable 25 is mounted on one of the drums and extends over the pulley of a pulley device 27 fastened on support 13, then over a slidably mounted pulley 28 mounted within the support 18, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and connected to the operating arm as at 29. The lowermost position of the slidable pulley 28 is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. It will ybe seen from the arrangement of the foregoing cables that the cable 20 will form means forV drawing the scoop through the bed rock or gravel C found in the bed of a river. This cable may be used for getting different hauls on the clipper, that is when the cable is in the position illustrated by 20, the scoop when getting a load will only take the gravel or rock from the top of the bed rock, but when it is extended over the pulley 30 mounted in the bow end of the dredge, as illustrated at 20, the scoop will go deeper into the bed rock and therebyobtain a larger load. The cable 22 which is secured to one end of the arm as at 24 is adapted to draw the scoop down and force it into the bottom of the bed rock and the cable 25 isused for lifting the dipper in a verticalposition from the bottom of the river when the scoop is used in obtaining the gravel from very deep channels. It will be seen from the cables 22 and 25 that this dipper may be held in a rigid position, or the same raised and lowered at thewill of the operator and also that the cable 2O may be used to gather the desired load7 as before described.

A plurality of drums are mounted within a suitable winch in the usual and well known manner as illustrated by the numeral 31fin Fig. 2 of the drawings. Extending from these drums are three cables 32, 33 and 3&1-, respectively, which are extended over fixed pulleys mounted `on the bow of the dredge and these cables are anchored or fixed in some well known way in the river, or on the banks thereof, thereby providing suitable means for maintaining stationary or moving the dredge within the channel of the river. r1`he cables 35 and 36 are wrappedor wound around drums of the winch 31 and extend to a fixture on the shore or a point opposite the dredge so that the cables may be attached to a scow or other boat and the winch thereupon operated to draw the boat to or from the dredge. Another cable 37 is mounted on one'of the drums mounted in the winch 31 and is connected to the suction pipe whereby the different sections of the pipe which are detachable can be raised out ofthe water when occasion requires. Another cable 39 is mounted on one of these drums mounted in the winch 31 and is run over fixed pulleys mounted in the stern of the scow and has formed on one end thereof a hook 39 by which the diver may move the larger rocks back on the cleaned bedrock, as more clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Mounted on suitable rafters, or supporting members 410 is a slanting hopper 4:1 and extending therefrom is a tramway 4:2 mounted on the scow and having mounted thereon a car 13 for carrying large rock and the like from the hopper to the end of the dredge which are then thrown overboard, or dumped in a scow or the like. In the drawings 1 have illustrated a car for this purpose, but it is to be understood that any suitable conveyer may be used. This car may be operated by cables, not shown, fixed upon a. suitable hoist 44, illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. A suitable engine house D is also mounted upon the dredge and has mounted therein the usual furnace and boiler for supplying steam to the Winches and hoists 19, 31 and 4e, as before described and in the usual and well known manner. y

The letter E indicates a well known means for locating the under current which forms no part of the present invention but is shown for the purpose of illustration.

After the scoop has received its desired loa-d and been brought to a point to bedumped on the hopper 41, the same is tilted to one side and dumped upon the said hopper. This hopper' consists of a plurality of beams being covered by a plate 15 having ribs 416 formed thereupon which are spaced apart so that when the gravel or stone is dumped upon the plate different sized gravel will be directed toward the grizzly 17 which acts as a sieve whereby the larger rocks will drop into the car e3 and the smaller gravel. containing the valuable ingredients or particles will fall through the grizzly into a compartment 48. p

A pump 49 is mounted upon the dredge as preferably shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings and has extending therefrom a discharge pipe 50 whereby the gravel and water may be sucked from the pipe 38 and discharged through the pipe 50 into lthe compartment 18. Extending from the compartment Z1-8 is a fiume 51 which is provided with riffles, not shown, to catch the gold and other particles and discharge the gravel and water back into the river. This fiume 51 extends beyond the stern of the scow so that the gravel and water may be discharged at some point distant from the stern end of the scow.V

This hydraulic pump and cleaning mechanism, as before briefly described, is more clearly illustrated and claimed in my Patent Number 974,150.

Reference now being had to the remaining figures shown `in the drawings 1 will more fully describe the particular parts of my invention in detail. have more clearly illustrated my improved scoop or dipper which is preferably made of sheet metal and in the construction shown, has a body portion which is rigidly secured to the arm 16 and is further supported by a reinforced boss 52. Formed upon one edge ot' the scoop are a plurality of digging points 53 which are adapted to dig into the gravel or sand, thereby facilitating the gathering of a load. Secured to each side of the scoop are chains 5l which are spaced apart adjacent their upper ends by means of a spreader and are then connected by a link to the cable as before mentioned. Reference being had to Fig. 4 of the dra-wings it will be particularly noted that the handle -16 is riveted to the lower edge of the scoop 15 and to one side of the center thereof. This is to provide means whereby when dumping the scoop the same may be operated inthe direction of the arrow shown in this ligure and the contents thereof dumped upon the hopper el when the cable 20 has become slackened.

To provide means for supporting the dipper when in a raised position and when it is desired to tilt thesame, I provide a member which T will term a dumping'hook 56 which consists of an arm 57 pivotally connected as at 58 in brackets 59 bolted upon one leg of the forward supporting member 12. The arm 16 is provided with the grooved collar 60 which is to be engaged. by thehook member when the scoop is being tilted. To provide means whereby the hook member 5G may be brought into position. or swung out of the way when the scoop is in operation, a cable (31 is connected at one end to the hook members as at 62 and then extended'over a pulley 63 mounted on the supporting meinber 12 and then down to a hydraulic ram (Si, or suitable means for operating the same. Any suitable form of hydraulic ram designated 64: may be used for operating the dumping hook.I which ram in turn may be operated in any suitable manner as from the hoist 19.

i The arm 16 is provided with an off-set portion 65 which is rigidlyconnected to the main body portion of the arm by means of flanges 66. This is to provide means whereby when the dipper is tilted to one sideit will deposit the contents upon the hopper and when lowering the dip`per,the same will stay within the center of the opening 11 formed within the scow. The remaining portion of the arm 16 is smooth throughout In Figs. 4- and 6 I.

` ings.

deep as well as shallow rivers.

so that the same may reciprocate and oscillate through the grooved roller 17. This grooved roller 17 is mounted in a suitably fastened bracket 67 which also has mounted therein a small guide roller G8, which engages and guides the arm 1G. The grooved roller 17 is also provided with a recess 69 whereby the cable 22 may operate upon said pulley without interfering in any way whatsoever with the arm 1G.

The pulley 28 upon which is mounted the cable 25 is mounted between the standards 18 as more clearly shown in Fig. 12 of the drawings. This pulley is provided with blocks which are adapted to travel within a track 70 formed in the inner tace of the standards 18. whereby the said pulley may be raised or lowered in the positions illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the draw- This pulley or sheave may be iixed by any suitable or well known means between the standards at any predetermined point, the object ot which is to permit a better gripping hold upon the scoop when the same is gathering the deposit of very deep or shallow channels. The pulley 28 is in its lowest point when used for gathering the gravel from deep channels and aised to its highest point between the members 18 when gatheringthe ingredients from shallow streams or channels. The adjustable arm 16 is cylindrical in cross section and comprises a plurality of members which are adapted to be detachably secured together whereby the arm may be formed or' any desired length so that the scoop 15 may gather the gravel. from the bottom of the bed oit These sections or .members forming the arm 1G are so connected together that the outer periphery thereof will'be smooth so that the arm will not bind but will treely operate upon the grooved roller 17. To provide this connecting means l provide cylindrical members 72. the exterior diameter of which is approximately the same as the interior diameter of each of the sections. Each of the sections 71 is riveted to t-he members 7 2 at 73. bracket member 7&1 is secured to the end of each of these members 72 and has a slot formed therein, in and to which the rods 75 are received. and bolted, whereby in assembling the different sections. the members are held rigidly in place by the rods 7 `The pulley 21 is pivotally mounted within the end of the supporting members 13 to prevent any binding ot the cable 2() during the raising or lowering motion of the dipper, or when the same is being tilted, as before described. `This pulley 21 is journaled within a casing` 7 G which has extending from each end thereof pinions 77 mounted within bearings formed upon transverse members 78 which connect the outer eX- tremity of the supporting bea-ms 13. This pulley 21 is pivotally mounted in a diagonal position as preferably shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings so that the cable 20 may be in alinement with the hoist 19.

It is apparent from the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings that the above clipper dredge may be used in conjunction with my hydraulic dredge of Patent Number 974,150, whereby any deposits or gold bearing gravel which is found in the bed of the river may be easily and readily removed in sufficient quantity consistent with the cost of operating and constructing a dredge of this character.

It is further obvious from the foregoing that I have constructed a device which will perform all the necessary requirements, with little friction in operating the various parts, easy to construct and cheap in the cost of manu-facture.

lt is to be further understood that other minor details of construction may be resorted to that come within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In combination with a scoop, an arm rigidly connected therewith, a frame structure, a pair of grooved mounting rollers carried by said frame structure to have the arm extended therethrough to be capable ofl raising and lowering and axial turning movement, means to cause the arm to have extensible and contractible movement between said rollers, a hook to support the arm in the raised position, and means by which the arm is gir/'en axial turning movement when in the raised and supporting position to cause the scoop to be dumped.

2. In combination with a scoop, an arm with which the scoop is rigidly connected to be carried, a supporting frame, a bracket mounted on said frame to have the arm passed therethrough, grooved rollers carried by said bracket to have the arm extended through the grooves thereof to permit raising and lowering and axial turning movement of the arm, means to extend and contract the arm through the mounting between said rollers, means to raise the arm to elevate the scoop to a dumping position, means to engage said arm to support the scoop in the raised relation and to permit axial turning movement of the arm, and means to turn the arm to accomplish a dumping of the scoop.

3. ln combination with a supporting structure, an arm carried by said supporting structure to be capable of raising and lowering movement and also axial turning movement, a scoop rigidly mounted on one end of said arm off center with respect to the turning axis thereof, means for lowering said arm to fill the scoop and raising the same to bring the scoop to the dumping position, and means to support the arm in the raised relation while at the same time permitting the axial turning of the arm to permit dumping of the scoop.

a. In a device of the character described, the combination with a supporting member, an adjustable arm mounted therein, an offset portion formed on said arm, a scoop mounted on said arm and to one side of the center thereof, means for raising and lowering said arm, and means for tilting said scoop.

5. In a. device of the character described, the combination with a supporting structure, a supporting member mounted upon said structure, an adjustable arm mounted upon said supporting member to be capable of axial turning movement, a scoop mounted on said arm in an offset relation, means whereby said arm may be raised and lowered and means to turn said arm axially in the direction of the offset of the scoop to accomplish a dumping of the saine.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination with supporting structure,

grooved rollers mounted upon said strueture, an adjustable arm mounted within said rollers, said arm being cylindrical in cross-section and the mounting thereof arranged to permit axial turning movement, the lower end of said arm being off-set, a scoop secured to said arm adjacent said o-set portion, and means arranged to accomplish axial turning of said arm to eoopcrate with the offset portion thereof to swing' said scoop to its laterally tilted dumping relation.

7. In a device of the character described, a supporting member, grooved rollers mounted on said supporting member, an arm mounted between said grooved rollers to be capable of extensible and contractile movement and to also permit axial turning thereof, a. scoop connected with one end of said arm at apoint laterally ofthe center of said scoop to offset the same with respect to the axis of the arm, means connected with said arm to operate the same in its longitudinal path of movement, and means to turn said arm axially in the direction of the offset to accomplish a tilting ofthe scoop to its dumping position.

VVILLAM F. HUNTER. Witnesses: j

CHARLES B. STONE, FRAN n H. TooLY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

